Parent to Parent Email Newsletters

May 2013

Everyone at Ouachita is preparing for final exams next week and planning for our Spring Commencement on Saturday, May 11. Commencement is always a rewarding, yet emotional day as we celebrate the accomplishments of the graduating class while bidding farewell to students we’ve come to know and love. We anticipate watching nearly 300 students walk across the platform on the lawn in front of our administration building.

While our new graduates look ahead to what God has planned for them, most of our other students are looking forward to the opportunities of summer. A few will remain in Arkadelphia for a few weeks to take a May Term class, but most will leave the campus by May 10. Many will return home for the summer, a few groups will leave on international study tours or mission trips, and still others will report for summer jobs, internships, or ministry opportunities through churches, camps, or mission organizations.

I know many of you are focused right now on high school graduation, but it won’t be long until Saturday, August 17, when you’ll bring your student to move into the dorm at Ouachita. As you plan for that important day, please let our staff help with questions you may have. You can find links to all Ouachita offices on our website.

I’ll send more news from Ouachita around June 1. Until then, please keep Ouachita in your prayers. I look forward already to our students arriving in August.

May God bless you and your family.

Rex M. Horne, Jr.
President
Ouachita Baptist University

April 2013

We’re down to five months and a few days until that time in August (August 17, to be exact) when about 500 new students and their families descend on our campus for the beginning of a new academic year. That day will be here before you know it!

I know that you’re preoccupied with all the decisions that must be made as your family anticipates sending a son or daughter off to college, so this Parent to Parent update will be brief. In bullet form, here are my four suggestions for the big months ahead.

Stay in touch with us. Our admissions and financial aid counselors remain committed to providing personalized service. They can help.
Mark Saturday, April 20, or Saturday, April 27, on your calendar. Those are the dates for Early Registration sessions on our campus. ER will be an important time for your family. If you need more information, go to http://www.obu.edu/er/ on our website. I hope you will attend.
Make the most of your time together as a family. The effort will be worthwhile, as these days will never pass your way again.
Pray as never before for your son or daughter, for their friends (present and future), and for the members of our faculty and staff.

I’ll visit again with you on April 1. Best wishes for a wonderful month.

Rex M. Horne, Jr.
President
Ouachita Baptist University

Early Registration

We’re always glad to welcome new students and their parents for Early Registration in April! At ER your son or daughter will work with a faculty advisor to discuss academic goals, develop a class schedule, and pre-register for fall classes.

Parents are also invited to attend. Representatives from several campus offices will be available to speak with you. Following a joint opening session, parents gather for Q & A with administrators. With no students present, this is the perfect opportunity to get your questions answered.

We’ve scheduled two Saturdays in April for ER–April 20th and 27th. On either day you may choose between two sessions, the first beginning at 9:00 and ending with lunch, and the second beginning with lunch and ending by 3:30. Complimentary lunch will be served in the Ouachita Commons for parents and registering students, with a small charge for additional guests.

If you haven’t already signed up, you can make your reservation for ER today by calling the Office of Academic Affairs, (870) 245-5196, or by accessing the ER web site: http://www.obu.edu/ER.

We look forward to hearing from you soon!

Stan Poole
Vice President for Academic Affairs

March 2013

February 2013

Greetings from Ouachita!

February is the time when the groundhog sees his shadow—or not—and your family moves closer to a final decision about where your son or daughter will spend the next four years. The college decision won’t receive as much media coverage as Punxsutawney Phil, but I know it is important to your family. It is also important to those of us at Ouachita.

Sometimes parents ask why they ought to send their children to Ouachita. The best answers to that question are provided by the parents of our students:

“Releasing a child to become an adult is hard, but there is great comfort in knowing that we have released her to a place that is blessed by the Lord.”

“After dealing with your staff, I am understanding more and more why my son chose Ouachita and why he values the people that make it such a wonderful place.”

“We’ve decided that Ouachita is one of the best investments we’ve ever made in the future of our children.”

Today, I want to introduce you to an important member of our administrative team, Dr. Wesley Kluck, vice president for student services. After you read his comments below, if you have questions about any aspect of campus life, you may reach him via e-mail at kluckw@obu.edu.

Six months and a few days remain before you’ll be depositing your son or daughter on our doorstep. We know this is a special trust. May the Lord bless you in these months.

Rex M. Horne, Jr.

President

Ouachita Baptist University

Getting Ready: February 2013

Planning is underway for our new student orientation program, known at Ouachita as WOW (Welcome to Ouachita’s World). Preparations for WOW began last fall, led by a team of upperclassmen. Through an application process, they have chosen over 100 of their fellow upperclassmen to serve as WOW leaders, and the entire force will be on hand on Saturday, August 17, as new students arrive on campus.

One of the first sights you will see as you enter campus with a packed car (and, in some cases, a U-Haul) will be teams of WOW leaders stationed at each residence hall. They will be assigned the task of unloading and carrying the new students’ belongings to their rooms (no tips are necessary!).

At 3:00 that afternoon, all new students and their family members are invited and encouraged to participate in a campus convocation, New Beginnings, in the Jones Performing Arts Center. President Rex Horne and others will lead in this time of worship and dedication as we celebrate the arrival of our newest Ouachitonians. It’s “come as you are,” so don’t worry if your shirt has lost its starch after a full day of traveling, meeting new friends, and facing the challenges of decorating dorm rooms … the rest of us will be just as sweaty and tired, and New Beginnings should not be missed!

Immediately after New Beginnings, new students will join assigned small groups as orientation begins in earnest. The groups will be hosted in faculty and staff homes for dinner Saturday evening, giving them a great opportunity to begin making connections with the university community while enjoying a home-cooked Arkadelphia meal.

During the following 48 hours, new students will be involved in orientation sessions and social gatherings designed to help ease their adjustment to college.

Please know that throughout the coming weeks we will continue to prepare for the arrival of your son or daughter. These must be exciting days for them as they anticipate the opening of a new chapter in their lives. We are committed to doing all that we can to help them make the transition as smoothly as possible. If you have questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to contact me. My telephone number is 870.245.5220 and my email address is kluckw@obu.edu.

I’ll look forward to meeting you and your student in a few months!

Sincerely,

Wesley Kluck

Vice President for Student Services

January 2013

Greetings from Ouachita!

We’re happy to send another edition of our electronic newsletter for the parents of our prospective students for next fall.

As we begin 2013, those of us on campus are looking ahead to the beginning of the spring semester. Registration is scheduled for January 15 and classes will begin the next day.

This is a busy month for our financial aid staff as they counsel a large number of applicants about financial aid options. Susan Hurst, Ouachita’s director of student financial services, provides a few tips this month for students and parents. If you have questions about this process, or you need help in developing additional funding sources for the education of your daughter or son, you may wish to contact Ms. Hurst at hursts@obu.edu.

We will continue to remember your family in our prayers as we begin this new year.

Rex M. Horne, Jr.

President

Ouachita Baptist University

Getting Ready: January 2013

The Office of Student Financial Services is excited about the entering class of 2013! The number of applicants and admitted students reflects another strong group for next fall. We look forward to continuing to work with many of you over the next few months as you finalize aid applications for the coming year.

 

For the most comprehensive and centralized overview of financial aid at Ouachita, go to www.obu.edu/finaid for detailed information on aid sources, online applications, and deadlines. There are also calculators available on this site to assist families in determining estimated net price as well as merit scholarship possibilities. OBU’s admission application serves as the application for university scholarships, with the exception of scholarships which require an audition or participation such as music, band, or athletic scholarships.

 

The federal government remains one of the largest sources of financial aid with programs administered by the U.S. Department of Education. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the application needed to determine your student’s eligibility for federal grants, student loans, and work study. The FAFSA application is linked from our website or online at www.fafsa.ed.gov. Your family may begin submitting this application after tax information is available in January.

For Arkansas residents, be sure to complete the online Arkansas state scholarship application at www.adhe.edu . Application deadlines for state scholarships vary based on the particular scholarship program, but completing the universal application will ensure consideration for all state aid programs. Please note that the deadline for the Governor’s Scholars program is February 1, 2013 and the Arkansas Academic Challenge Scholarship deadline is June 1, 2013.

One other avenue for funding your education that is worth pursuing is private scholarship searches. Private scholarship searches require patience and persistence on the part of the family (along with getting an early start). These searches are free of charge. Please do not pursue scholarship searches which require a fee for processing your application information! Some excellent sources for private aid options are linked from our OBU website so be sure to take advantage of these opportunities.

Please call us at 870-245-5570 with any financial aid questions. Student Financial Services staff members will be more than happy to help with questions or concerns your family might have about funding post-secondary education.

Susan Hurst

Director of Student Financial Services

Ouachita Baptist University

 

December 2012

Welcome

This is the second in my series of messages to the parents of students who have applied to attend Ouachita. We recognize the importance of a strong partnership between parents and the members of our faculty and staff, and we want to begin building that alliance now, long before your son or daughter arrives on campus on August 17, 2013.

This month you’ll hear from Lori Motl, our director of admissions counseling. Lori and the admissions team do a great job for Ouachita and, more importantly, for your student and you. If you need to reach Lori, her e-mail address is motll@obu.edu, or you can call her toll-free number, 1.800.DIAL.OBU.

As you prepare to send your son or daughter away to college next fall, this holiday season will be very meaningful. It is our prayer that God will bless your time together.

We look forward to working with you throughout 2013!

Rex M. Horne, Jr.
President
Ouachita Baptist University

Getting Ready: December 2012

Dear Parents:

As you and your family sit around the Christmas tree this holiday, it may begin to sink in that your student will be heading to college very soon. The hours of searching for colleges on-line, visiting campuses, and combing through mailings are coming to a close as decisions are made. Let me commend you on your search for the right “fit” for your student and challenge you to really think about the qualities you are looking for in a college home.

Ouachita is a place that will nurture more than just your student’s academic growth. It will help him or her continue to develop a strong spiritual formation. In addition, internships and study abroad programs will allow testing skills beyond the campus, along with mission trips led by our Campus Ministries staff.

If you haven’t already visited Ouachita’s beautiful campus and met some of our amazing students, let me encourage you to do that soon. Even if you and your student have been to campus a number of times, feel free to come as often as needed to help secure your decision. We would be more than happy to visit with you while you’re here.

It’s also time to think about the qualities your student would like to have in his or her roommate, since the process of assigning roommates will begin soon. If you haven’t already sent a housing deposit, you’ll want to do that soon. After you have paid the deposit, your student will receive a preference form on which to list those qualities most important in considering a roommate. Admissions counselors, along with the director of housing, work hard to find a great roommate assignment based on the requests and preferences your student lists on the form.

We in the admissions office want you to know that you have an ally on campus, and we will work our hardest to provide you with as smooth a transition as possible. It is our pleasure to be able to work with you and your student through this important decision. If we can do anything for you, please feel free to contact our office by calling 1-800 DIAL OBU or e-mailing us at admissions@obu.edu.

Lori Motl, Director of Admissions Counseling

November 2012

Welcome

This brief electronic newsletter from Ouachita will come your way via the Internet once a month from November through next August. Saturday, August 17, when your child moves into the dormitory at Ouachita for the fall semester, will be here before you know it.

In addition to news from me and e-mail connections to some helpful folks, the newsletter will include information from members of our faculty and staff. Today you’ll find some helpful comments below from Susan Hurst, the director of our financial aid program.

All of us at Ouachita are looking forward to the opportunity to build connections with your family over the next few months. As we work to prepare for the arrival of your son or daughter, we’ll be happy to answer questions you may have.

This is a great time for you and your student to be considering Ouachita. We have updated or replaced a number of our student housing facilities, including a state-of-the-art Student Village and two new dormitories that opened last year. In addition to great student housing options, Ouachita students encounter a dedicated faculty and staff, Christian men and women who are committed to helping them grow intellectually and spiritually, while preparing for lives of meaningful work and service.

If your student has not submitted an application for admission yet, now is an excellent time. There is no application fee and the form can be completed online at http://www.obu.edu/admissions/applying-to-ouachita/. Additional information about Ouachita, its programs, and services can be found on our Web site at www.obu.edu/prospective/.

Over the course of the year, if you need to refer to some of this information, each issue will be posted on our website at http://www.obu.edu/admissions/just-for-parents/.

Rex M. Horne, Jr.
President
Ouachita Baptist University

Getting Ready: November 2012

Dear Parents:

November is the month when many families begin narrowing college choices for their sons and daughters. One of the factors in the decision is the cost of the schools under consideration. All too often, however, families look past the value of this investment and see only the price. So when comparing costs, keep in mind the benefits the student will receive.

Ouachita is an excellent liberal arts university, so it offers academic majors in all of the traditional fields of study. Students may consider other options such as Business, Christian Studies, Dietetics, Education, Graphic Design, Music Theatre, Speech Communications and Disorders, and a host of pre-medical and pre-professional programs. There are more than 60 academic and pre-professional programs in all. In addition, internships and study abroad programs are available, as well as mission trips led by our Campus Ministries staff. Equally important is the opportunity students have to learn in a Christ-centered community, which encourages both a love of God and a love of learning. This unique aspect of Ouachita’s character certainly gives additional value to your investment.

As you finalize college plans, the Office of Student Financial Services is committed to offering a wide array of options for families wishing to supplement their resources for education expenses. Our financial aid website located at www.obu.edu/finaid provides tools to assist you in identifying and applying for aid to attend Ouachita and includes detailed aid sources, links to applications, and application deadlines. Calculators are also available on our website to assist in providing you with early estimates of aid eligibility. (Confirmation of aid offers will begin in early spring, after the student has been officially accepted to the university.)

November is also a great time to look for other private aid sources. Begin by checking with your local church, chamber of commerce, civic group, and employer about available scholarship funds. Included on our website are private aid resources received by OBU students in the past, along with national scholarship databases. Information can be found at http://www.obu.edu/finaid/private/.

Finally, remember that in order to be considered for any need-based financial aid, Arkansas state scholarships, or federal student/parent loans, a family must submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The application will be available online beginning January 1 at www.fafsa.ed.gov. In order to obtain the most accurate information, it is best to complete the FAFSA once you have your W2s and 1040 tax forms completed. Be sure that you and your student apply for a PIN number at www.pin.ed.gov before you begin filing the FAFSA—you both will need a PIN to submit the FAFSA electronically.

Have questions? There are financial aid counselors in our office to help your family explore all available options. Don’t hesitate to give us a call at 870.245.5570 or send an email to finaid@obu.edu.

Susan Hurst

Director of Student Financial Services

Email us your questions

• Financial Aid and Student Accounts – Student Financial Services (finaid@obu.edu)
• Pre-registration Information - Marsha Whalen (whalenm@obu.edu)
• AP, CLEP - Bill McCrary (mccraryb@obu.edu)
• Transcripts and Immunizations – Judy Jones (jonesj@obu.edu)
• Housing information – Margaret Frazier (frazierm@obu.edu)
• General Questions – Admissions Office (admissions@obu.edu)